Texas’ night in College Station was unfortunately overshadowed by a number of misfires, leading to an upset in the first SEC basketball showdown against in-state and conference rival Texas A&M. The game was Texas’ first SEC matchup and the first time the rivals met on campus since Texas won 70-68 in College Station on February 6, 2012.
Mark made 4 of 9 field goals, including 2 of 4 from beyond the arc, and a perfect 4 of 4 from the free throw line. Senior Arthur Kalma contributed 13 points and seven rebounds, and junior Jordan Pope added 12 points, including 3-of-6 from deep. Freshman Tre Johnson had 11 points and two blocks, and graduate Kadyn Shedrick had a game-high 10 rebounds.
The game was tied 37-37 at halftime, with Texas leading by just five points (57-52) with less than eight minutes left. However, Texas A&M’s surge in the second half ensured the Aggies’ victory.
Texas A&M opened the second half with a decisive 15-2 run to build a 52-39 lead. Despite the Longhorns’ nine-point spurt cutting the deficit to 57-52, the Aggies fought back with a 6-0 run to close out the game.
In the first half, Texas took an 11-2 lead thanks to Mark’s 3-point shot, giving them a lead of up to 8 points. Texas A&M battled back with a 10-0 run to take a 36-32 lead before the Longhorns went on a 5-1 outburst to end the first half to tie the game.
Texas will look to bounce back when they host Auburn on Tuesday, January 7th at the Moody Center. Tipov is set for 8 p.m. PT, and the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Texas basketball falls short of Texas A&M in SEC opener, 80-60
